Walter j



(No Model.)

W. J. DREW.

CARPET SWEEPER.

No. 344,089. Patented June 22, 1886.

N, PETERS. Phnlouthngnpher, Washingiun, DC

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER J. DREW, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE BISSELL CARPET SWEEPER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CARPET-SWEEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 3 44 08 9, dated June 22, 1886.

I Application filed July 7, 1885. Serial No. 170,895. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be'it known that I, WALTER J. DREW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Sweepers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to carpetsweepers; and it consists in the combination, with a sweeper-casing, of drive-wheels, a brush-shalt extending through the end walls of the casing and in gear with the drive-wheels, and an elastic bar or strap extending across the end of the casing with its ends connected with the front and rear walls thereof, said bar or strap having a bearing on which the bruslrshaft is mounted outside the casing.

The invention also consists of other features, which are hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view at one end of a carpetsweeper case embodying myinvention; Fig. 2, a plan view, partly in section, showing the sweeper case in dotted lines, and Fig. 3 a perspective view of one of the elastic bars or straps.

In the drawings, the reference-numeral 1 designates a carpet-sweeper case, and 2'tlie dustpans hinged or pivoted thereto and provided with any suitable fastenings. The ends 3 of the case 1 are provided centrally with vertical slots or openings 4. for the passage of the brush-shaft 5, and they also have horizontal or slightly-diagonal slots 6, to admit the passage of the wheel-axles 7, that are preferably extended through the case from end to end.

The brnsh-shaft5 is provided at each end with friction-gears 8, that fit between and contact with the drive-wheels 9. These drivewheels 9 are mounted either fast or loose on the axles 7, which, as before stated, are preferably extended entirely through the sweepercase.

The brush-shaft 5 is mounted by means of recesses formed therein at either or both ends on a fixed journal, 10, formed on or secured to the inner side of a metallic bar or strap, 11, that is attached to the sweeper-case. This 50 bar 11 is preferably made, as shown in Fig.

2, with inwardly bent ends 12, that enter grooves or depressions formed in the sides of the sweeper-case at the ends wherethey are detachably secured by screws or otherwise. The recesses or depressions 13 may be sufficiently wide to admit ofa slight vertical adj ust ment of the'bar 11 to raise orlower the brushshaft, the inwardly-bent arms or brackets 12 being provided with one or more slotted openings, 14, for the passage of the attaching- 6o screws 15, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to admit of this adjustment.

In order to hold the drive-wheels and brush shaft always in frictional contact, and so secure an effective operation of the rotary brush, the opposite axles, 7, of said drive-wheels are connected either within or without the case by springs 16, the looped or hooked ends ofwhich are made large enough to embrace the axles in v such a way, as shown, that the axles can rotate with the wheels, if fixed thereto. Preferably, however, the wheels are mounted loosely on their axles and rotate independently.

It will be seen that while the springs 16, acting on the wheelaxles, hold the wheels in frictional contact with the gears on the brushshaft, the slots 6, through which the axles pass, permit sufficient play of the axles and wheels to correspond with variations in pressure exerted by or through the sweeper. It is obvione that the springs 16 can be located either within the sweeper-casing near the inner sides of the end pieces, as shown, or on the outside of the case between the wheels and end pieces.

By mounting the rotary brush-shaft on stationary journals 10, as described, the rotation of the brush will not be obstructed by lint or thread winding on said journals, asis liable to occur with journals that revolve with the brush. These journals 10 being fixed to a yielding metallic bar, as 11, enables the brush to be readily removed and replacedby simply springing orpressing the bar slightly outward, while by raising or lowering the bar the brush can be elevated or depressed as required.

\Vhile I have illustrated the sweeper-case as provided with horizontal slots for the passage of the drive-wheel axles, I do not confine myself to any particular construction of openings for the passage of the axles.

The ordinary elastic band, 17, that preferably encircles the sweeper-case as a guard, to pre- ILO vent damage to furniture, may be arranged so as to firmly clasp the metallic bars. or straps 11, the corners of which are so formed with shoulders or otherwise as to afford a firm support for said endless elastic band.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, witha sweeper-casing, of drive-wheels, a brush-shaft extendingthrough the end walls of the casing and in ing, and the springs having their endslooped around the axles, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a carpet-sweeper casing having end walls provided with slots, of a brush-shaft extended through the said end walls, the 'drivewheel axles extended through the said slots, the drive-wheels mounted on the axles outside the casing, the springs having their ends connected with the axles, and the elastic bar or strap extending across the end of the casing with its ends attached to the front and rear walls thereof, said bar or strap having a stationary journal on which the brush shaft is mounted outside thecasing, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I-affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, WALTER J. DREW.

1 Witnesses: v

ARTHUR 0-. DENISON, FRED W. STEVENS. 

